Reuse of cover glass from end-of-life photovoltaic panels to produce glass-ceramics with innovative properties

Oxyfluorides containing up to 75 wt% of recycled glass from end-of-life solar panels have been investigated. Reduced processing temperature and high transparency have shown that the material has potential for optical applications. In this work, Raman demonstrated that cerium affects the glass network by promoting polymerization. In turn, thermal analysis indicated some changes in the crystallization events between 500-800 ºC, which were confirmed by in situ X-ray powder diffraction measurements. Crystallization of fluorite, xonotlite, and combeite was confirmed, while other phases give minor contributions to the XRD patterns. Cerium addition reduced the formation of xonotlite, mainly above 700 ºC. The potential applications of the material and the further studies required are discussed.